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COVID-19: 'We're Going Back Up Again,' CDC Director Says Amid Post-Thanksgiving Increases COVID-19: 'We're Going Back Up Again,' CDC Director Says Amid Post-Thanksgiving Increases
Covid-19: 'We're Going Back Up Again,' CDC Director Says Amid Post-Thanksgiving Increases Key metrics in weekly data indicate the first major nationwide COVID-19 uptick in months following the Thanksgiving holiday. Speaking at a Congressional hearing on Thursday, Nov. 30, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said: "We are going back up again, which we expected after a lot of travel and gathering at Thanksgiving." Nationwide, in the latest data for the week ending Saturday, Nov. 25, there was a 10.6 percent increase in emergency room visits and 10 percent increase in hospitalizations. In addition, the test positivity rate went up 1.2 perc…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Pickpocket Thief Working Darien Trader Joe's, Police Say Pickpocket Thief Working Darien Trader Joe's, Police Say
Pickpocket Thief Working Darien Trader Joe's, Police Say In the past two weeks, two women have had their wallets stolen out of their purses while shopping at a Fairfield County supermarket.  The first incident took place at the Darien Trader Joe's store at 436 Post Road when the victim told police she went to pay for her groceries her wallet was missing from her purse, said Sgt. Dan Skoumbros of the Darien Police.  She was later notified by her credit card company that someone had attempted to use the card at Target in Stamford. The second incident took place at the same grocery store on Sunday, Nov. 25 when another woman was miss…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Accused Of Trying To Cash Forged Checks At Bank In Wilton Man Accused Of Trying To Cash Forged Checks At Bank In Wilton
Man Accused Of Trying To Cash Forged Checks At Bank In Wilton A 48-year-old man was captured after a months-long investigation into identity theft and larceny at a Fairfield County bank.  James Greco, of Wynantskill, New York, located in Rensselaer County, was charged on Tuesday, Nov. 21 on a warrant for the July incident at a Wilton bank. According to Lt. Anna Tornello, of the Wilton Police, Greco entered the bank and forged checks in the victim’s name, and then deposited the cash into other accounts. After an extensive investigation, and with the help of several other law enforcement agencies, Greco was identified as the suspect and …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Know Them? Duo Wanted For Norwalk Car Burglaries, Police Say Know Them? Duo Wanted For Norwalk Car Burglaries, Police Say
Know Them? Duo Wanted For Norwalk Car Burglaries, Police Say Police in Fairfield County are asking the public for help identifying two people allegedly responsible for several vehicle burglaries and cashing some $30,000 in fake checks using the car owner's identity. The Norwalk Detective Bureau said the two are responsible for burglarizing several vehicles parked on Muller Avenue on Nov. 8, said Lt. Tomasz Podgorski of the Norwalk Police. Podgorski said after burglarizing the vehicles, the duo used the identifications of the owners of the vehicles to cash over $30,000.00 in fraudulent checks.  The suspects were seen operating a white …

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
And Just Like That: Lock Changed, Website Scrubbed Following George Santos’ Historic Ouster And Just Like That: Lock Changed, Website Scrubbed Following George Santos’ Historic Ouster
And Just Like That: Lock Changed, Website Scrubbed Following George Santos’ Historic Ouster Well, that didn’t take long. Now-former New York Rep. George Santos has been all but erased from the halls of Congress following his historic expulsion from office on Friday, Dec. 1. The disgraced Long Island Republican – whose former 3rd District includes parts of Nassau County and Queens – made a hasty exit from the House chamber once it was clear that the required two-thirds majority had been secured to seal his ouster. Earlier Report: US House Expels NY Rep. George Santos In Historic Vote He did not address the throng of reporters who followed him to a waiting car, though CNN …

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by Michael Mashburn
Lifestyle
$25M Lottery Payday: Boston Woman Claims Her 2nd Lottery Jackpot $25M Lottery Payday: Boston Woman Claims Her 2nd Lottery Jackpot
$25M Lottery Payday: Boston Woman Claims Her 2nd Lottery Jackpot A Boston woman who had previously won $1 million in the Massachusetts Lottery in 2006 claimed a $25 million grand prize this week.  Desiree Fortini-Craft, of Hyde Park, was the eight-figure payday playing the “Billion Dollar Extravaganza” $50 scratch-off game.  Fortini-Craft opted to take the lump sum payment of $16,250,000 (before taxes) rather than the annuity.  Fortini-Craft said she wants to use the money to enjoy life. She plans to spend Christmas in Aruba with her fiance, Jason Perkins, and looks to pay off her three daughters' student loans, buy a new car, a…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Fairfield Man Breaks Into Ex-Girlfriend's Home, Threatens Her With Knife, Police Say Fairfield Man Breaks Into Ex-Girlfriend's Home, Threatens Her With Knife, Police Say
Fairfield Man Breaks Into Ex-Girlfriend's Home, Threatens Her With Knife, Police Say A 58-year-old man is behind bars after allegedly breaking into a house with a knife of a Fairfield County woman he dated and threatened violence. The incident occurred in Fairfield around 9:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30. According to Lt. Edward Nook of the Fairfield Police, a juvenile called 911 to report that Osborne Hewitt, of Fairfield, had broken into their home with a knife.  The juvenile also said that her mother had locked herself inside a closet, Nook said. When officers arrived Hewitt had left the area. The victim told police that Hewitt was an ex-boyfriend and while questionin…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
New AAA Survey Finds CT Drivers Addicted To Speeding, Causing Fatal Crashes New AAA Survey Finds CT Drivers Addicted To Speeding, Causing Fatal Crashes
New AAA Survey Finds CT Drivers Addicted To Speeding, Causing Fatal Crashes A new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety will have you putting away that phone and forgetting about speeding when you see the sobering statistics.  The foundation conducted its annual survey of drivers about their habits behind the wheel and found that American drivers are addicted to speeding, increasing the odds of dying in a crash. The survey polls drivers about their habits behind the wheel. This year, drivers were grouped into six categories by analyzing patterns of self-reported risky driving behaviors, and just over 4 in 10 respondents were classified as “Safe Drive…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Nabbed In Trumbull For String Of Burglaries In Multiple States, Police Say Man Nabbed In Trumbull For String Of Burglaries In Multiple States, Police Say
Man Nabbed In Trumbull For String Of Burglaries In Multiple States, Police Say A New York man driving a truck with a stolen license plate wanted for its involvement in numerous alleged burglaries in surrounding states was nabbed after a short chase in Connecticut. Hudson Valley resident Michael Simpson, age 40, of Walden in Orange County, was spotted by police in Fairfield County on Thursday, Nov. 30.  At approximately 8:30 a.m., an officer in Trumbull located the wanted Dodge Ram pick-up, driven by Simpson, traveling north on Daniels Farm Road. As the officer followed the Dodge, Simpson attempted to elude police by turning down various side streets,&n…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
US House Expels NY Rep. George Santos In Historic Vote US House Expels NY Rep. George Santos In Historic Vote
US House Expels NY Rep. George Santos In Historic Vote In an incredibly rare move, the US House voted to expel New York Rep. George Santos amid mounting accusations of criminality, ending his tumultuous Congressional stint and closing one of the most controversial chapters in American politics. An expulsion resolution brought by California Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia overwhelmingly passed with 311 "yes" votes to 114 "no" votes on Friday, Dec. 1.  The resolution required a two-thirds majority vote in order to pass. Santos – a Long Island Republican whose 3rd District includes parts of Nassau County and Queens – becomes only the sixth fed…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Alert Issued For 15-Year-Old Girl Missing For Almost 2 Weeks In CT Alert Issued For 15-Year-Old Girl Missing For Almost 2 Weeks In CT
Alert Issued For 15-Year-Old Girl Missing For Almost 2 Weeks In CT Authorities in Connecticut are searching for a 15-year-old girl who has been reported missing for nearly two weeks. Hartford County resident Audrey Olson has been missing since walking away from her home in Berlin on Saturday, Nov. 18, according to the Berlin Police Department.  Olson is described as 5-foot-1 and around 100 lbs with a nose piercing on her right nostril. She is not believed to be in any immediate danger, police said. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to call the Berlin Police Department at 860-828-7080 or Det. Chaffee at 860-828-7193. …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Sandy Hook School Receives Threat, All Safe, Police Say Sandy Hook School Receives Threat, All Safe, Police Say
Sandy Hook School Receives Threat, All Safe, Police Say Police in Fairfield County are reassuring the community that all students and staff are safe after a school in Sandy Hook received a new threat. The threat was made in Newtown around 9:15 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 30 at Sandy Hook School. According to Lt. Scott Smith, this morning police received a third-party report of a threatening message regarding the school. Newtown Police promptly responded to the school as staff followed appropriate safety precautions. "Newtown Police quickly determined that all students and staff were safe and that the threat was not credible, but instead was simi…

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by Kathy Reakes